


Never Unwanted

by ChristineThalassinou1990



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Caring Dooku, Discussion of Abandonment, Gen, Jedi Master Dooku, Late Night Conversations, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn, Qui-Gon needs a hug, mission aftermath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-28 00:55:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15696855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChristineThalassinou1990/pseuds/ChristineThalassinou1990
Summary: After a difficult mission 14-year-old Qui is full of doubt and uncertainty. It's up to his master to make him feel safe again.





	Never Unwanted

It was past 11 p.m. and Jedi master Dooku was in the middle of the tea-making process in the small, dimly lit kitchen of his apartment. He felt restless, the mission he and his Padawan Qui-Gon Jinn got back from a few days ago was demanding in every possible way. In fact, he feared that the impact was harder on Qui-Gon than on himself, but his Padawan hadn't said anything yet.

However, it seemed it was going to change; Dooku heard light footsteps behind his back, and when he turned he saw his 14-year-old Padawan, in his sleeping T-shirt and shorts, looking at him with sad midnight-blue eyes.

"I can't sleep" he complained, as if trying to stop Dooku from scolding him for not being asleep yet.

Dooku had no intention to be stern, though. Not now, when both of them were in dire need of some peace and emotional support.

"It's alright, brat" he smiled faintly. "Come in... Would you like some tea? Perhaps it would help."

"Hot chocolate?" Qui-Gon asked hopefully; he sensed that his master was in a more permissive mood than usual.

"Hot chocolate, then" Dooku nodded, and prepared the sweet drink for his Padawan.

"Thank you, master!" Qui-Gon cheered, but his joy was quite short-lived. He became suspiciously silent as he sipped his drink, looking mostly at the floor.

"What troubles you?" Dooku asked, reasonably gently for his usual calm, stoic self. "You can tell me, you know."

Qui-Gon weighed his options; not that he didn't trust his master, quite the opposite, but after four years together, he was still uncertain about telling him his deeply personal thoughts or feelings. Dooku simply was not the sentimental type whom he thought he could discuss such things with. Usually, when he had emotional trouble he turned to his friends, especially to Tahl, his bestie since they were eight.

But now no one else was here, and Qui-Gon really wanted to talk to somebody; and that left only Dooku.

"Well... Do you remember the kid we found? The Force-sensitive girl."

"Yes, what about her?"

"Nothing, just... I just..." Qui-Gon stopped, took a deep breath and tried to organize his troubling thoughts into a form his master could understand. "Her parents gave her up so easily, and not because they were poor and wanted a better life for her, or something like that. They gave her up because they feared her. Her power, to be exact."

"And?" Dooku got a sick feeling about where his Padawan's thoughts were heading but encouraged him to speak nonetheless. He wanted to know what was on Qui-Gon's mind.

"And... It made me think. I wonder... Our parents give us away because we're not fitting into their life? Because they think we're some kind of freaks and they can't handle it? Because no one else would want us like this except the Jedi?" Qui-Gon asked, his sadness almost palpable as he looked up at his master.

Dooku felt his heart breaking with these words. He, too, went through this, but _before_ he became a Padawan; his master, Yoda, made absolutely sure that he always felt loved and accepted. It seemed he had failed to communicate this to his own Padawan, and it made him feel awful.

"No, no, it's not like this" he whispered, stepping closer to Qui-Gon. "I mean... Yes, there are cases when... Well, you saw it. But not all parents are like this. Some of them are quite proud that their children are becoming Jedi. Or they're indeed poor and want a better life for their child. There are so many reasons to give a child to the Jedi, and not all the reasons are bad."

"Like my parent's reason?" Qui-Gon asked, however, he feared the answer.

"Yes... They gave you to us so you could live. And I'm quite glad they did. How could I have such a wonderful Padawan otherwise?" Dooku smiled and did what he had wanted to do since the beginning of this conversation: he hugged his Padawan tight, stroking his back slowly.

Qui-Gon was surprised, that much was clear when he tensed in his master's arms; but then he went limp and hugged Dooku back, snuggling closer. He needed this contact desperately.

"Master?"

"Hm?"

"Could you please be more... like you're now? I mean, like this more often." Qui-Gon was glad Dooku didn't see his face, for it was bright red, he could feel it.

"I'll try, I promise" Dooku smiled. "But I want you to understand one thing: I love you, and you've never, ever been unwanted. Not by your parents back then, and not by me now. And I'll always be there for you."

Qui-Gon just nodded, hiding his face into his master's shoulder and clinging to him for dear life. After four years, being with his master truly felt like home at last.

 

**The End**


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